Forgelands
The Industrial District, more commonly known as the Forgelands, is one of the sixteen Districts that make up the city of London. It is located in the Outer Ring, and is designated as a moderate/large region. The Industrial District constitues the south-east fringe of London; on it's south is Darkside, whilst Zephyr lays on the western border of the district, and to the north is Riverwood. It is, geographically, the sixth largest district, and has the third largest population, behind only Darkside, Riverwood, the Northern Stretch, and Brightside. Whilst manufactories and industry can be found across the breadth of London, nowhere is it more pronounced than the Forgelands; production lines and legions of droids toil day and night to meet their quota, whilst some of the largest and most technologically impressive factories on the planet climb hundreds of metres into the sky. Air is saturated with pollution, and the constant hymn of machinery sounds day and night. Freighters and trains run along rails suspended between the enormous factories and deliver goods to and from the docks in Riverwood. But perhaps most impressive of all are the five enormous pits that have been excavated into the District, formally known as the Crucibles. Origin Characteristics Production Living Conditions Such is the scale and importance of production in the Forgelands, that almost all other considerations are relegated to second place. Although manufactories and control-hubs boast state-of-the-art technology and are populated by the most advanced industrial drones in production, the standard of living for the residents of Forgelands ranges from barely adequate to almost uninhabitable. On the surface, houses and apartments are tightly packed, one upon another, into what little space is left between the hundreds of manufactories. In effect this creates tall stacks of poorly-constructed homes that wobble precariously on stilts, whilst cars must navigate the narrow roads that meander between these amalgamations. The surface conditions are considered wholly acceptable compared to life in the three Residential Crucibles, however. Every square foot of space within the pits is exploited for maximum gain, and in some areas the conditions are considered to be worse than those found anywhere in the city, even Darkside. Hastily built blocks of flats are weaved together to create dense blocks of homes that stretch almost as tall as the Crucibles are deep; small burrows are carved into the walls of the vast pits that only help destabilise the structures further. Many cannot afford even that, and instead create their own homes from what few materials they can find. The resulting sea of squats that riddle rooftops and alleys invite crime and disease in almost unrivalled quantity. Public transport in the District is extensive yet poorly maintained, as money is instead invested on the industrial infrastructure to ensure that goods are exported rapidly. Monorails skirt through the maze of creaking houses, whilst underground railway tracks emerge from the walls of the Crucibles like unearthed roots. Excerpt from A Pocket-Sized Guide to Life in the Twenty-Second Century ... The Industrial District - known as the 'Forgelands' - is located in the South-East of the city. It is amongst the most productive areas in the country, and employs millions of brown and grey tapes in industry such a steel-milling and construction; the district is therefore closely associated with the College of Steel. Amongst the most noticeable landmarks are the five enormous 'Crucibles' that are dotted throughout the city. Two of these grand excavations are used for industrial purposes whilst the remaining three have been repurposed into economically attractive accomodation. The Industrial District is not only home to the gigantic forges and furnaces of mega-corporations and the College of Steel, but are also tightly-knit communities of corporate employees and Union Retainers....